Absolutely brilliant movie. Best of the Alien series.
Take Alien. A perfect movie. Then ruin it with a bunch of action bullshit. You get Aliens.
When it comes to the Alien franchise you need to do 2 things.
Remember that Alien is a straightforward horror movie and that Aliens is a straight up action movie with horror elements. The two exist in the same franchise universe but as movies are basically separate entities.
There are plenty of stories out there about how Ridley Scott (who created the franchise and original film) disliked the way James Cameron took the whole Alien entity in a different direction. His original vision had nothing to do with a hive like mentality, with a queen alien and so forth. So to enjoy both movies you have to look at them separately within the same universe... Confusing I know, but essential to get the most enjoyment out of both films.
It starts of very nicely, aping the opening feel of the original movie, and the pacing of the first act is slow and methodical. It shows that the 'company' is more concerned about it's profits than it's employees (sound familiar) and is more than willing to scapegoat the only survivor (we find out why shortly after).
Please note that I own and will only watch the directors cut of this movie. I think the extended scenes, added exterior shots and information about how the company sent out some of the settlers to see if Ripley's story was true... Adds a great deal to the viewing enjoyment and I highly recommend that everyone watches it.
By the end of the first act, we have found out that a family was sent out to the crash site from the original movie, and that one of them was attacked by a facehugger... and that contact with the colony on that planet was lost... So a rescue team is on it's way to investigate and they want Ripley along as an advisor/consultant.
The special effects for this movie are pretty damn good considering it's from 1986, James Cameron makes a lot of use of miniature sets with lots of attention paid to details. So the viewer finds it difficult to tell where the miniature set ends and full size begins.
The action and tension begins to get ramped up, there's some great dialogue and friction between members of the Marines and once again female characters are not only present, but there as fully fledged characters, not just some pathetic love interest to fulfill a plot requirement... and of course Sigourney Weaver in the lead role. It's one of the reasons that the Alien franchise has survived 4 films and it's entirely down to her character. The performances of the cast is excellent, the FX are great for the period and the buildup to the final conclusion works really well... and of course has led to the often used quote 'Get away from her you bitch" in many other movies... parody or not. It's become part of pop culture in the same way as Vader telling Luke that he's his father has (albeit to a lesser degree). You mention that line, and people know what/who you are quoting.
I've lost count of the number of times I have watched and purchased these movies over the decades... I owned them on VHS in widescreen directors cuts, then the 20th anniversary 5 disc DVD boxset... then the 25th 9 disc DVD boxset and now I have them on bluray.
I will not however be buying them again in 4K when they inevitably get released again... These movies, the original Star Wars trilogy, Terminator & T2 and The Crow are movies I have spent far too much money on buying again and gain over the years.
I wasn't even halfway through Aliens when I knew it was going to be one of my favorite movies ever... and Ripley is such a badass #girlspower
3 Thoughts After Re-Watching ‘Aliens’:
Many people hate on this sequel because it turned classic horror into an action film. I understand, but I don’t see how that’s necessarily a bad thing. They took an incredible film, an original story, and expanded on it perfectly. The scale here is extraordinary and it feels like it was absolutely meant to go in this direction.
Perfect pacing. Just perfect. One helluva climax. And just when you think it’s over...
So many amazing visual moments. So many iconic scenes. FX that still hold up today. Eye candy galore.
Bonus Thought: Sigourney IS the Sci-Fi Queen.
Let's be honest, this is a better movie than Alien as it takes the aspect of making everything bigger and does it perfectly as it blends both horror and action more perfectly than the original. Sigourney Weaver (Ripley) is still perfect in this role and she honestly will go down as one of the most badass females in cinema history, but I loved the addition of Michael Biehn (Cpl. Dwayne Hicks) and Carrie Henn (Newt) who give this movie a lot more charm than the first one in my opinion as you care a lot for both these characters.
I gotta admit the practical effects in this film are so perfect as every environment looks just amazing and the Aliens look superb as well with the Queen Alien being something to truly behold. I'll admit the CGI is actually better in the first film as it was a better blend of CGI and Practical as different to this film being full CGI in those moments.
Its the last great Alien film in the franchise and if you are an Alien fan you will love it, yeah it's not as scary as the first one but James Cameron takes the premise of the original and cranks it up to 11 with more Aliens and bucket loads of action.
This IS the greatest movie ever...period... from the all star cast to the incredible real prop effects and cool weapons..to the real emotions from being a parent and experiencing loss and all of this on a budget that other directors couldn't touch... What about bridge of spies? What about the english patient? Lol who is even rewatching any of those Best ever movies?? Gtfo here ghandi... and to top all of that off.. Ellen Ripley is a total badass in a time when action flicks were all men. She single handedly showed that women can not only kick ass on screen but be believable also.. so show some respect to this perfect 10 because if you hated on it I question your love of movies let alone sci fi in the first place
They come at night mostly... mostly
A better sequel to 'Alien' than I was expecting.
'Aliens' - love the creativity, guys! - is a minute jot off the original but it remains a thoroughly enjoyable film - despite a slightly longer run time, which pleasantly doesn't hamper events. Sigourney Weaver is terrific again; I can see why these films launched her career.
I will say parts of this 1986 flick are a tad repetitive from the original and a few bits are predictable, e.g. the arcs of Lance Henriksen's Bishop and Paul Reiser's Carter, but when judged overall it's another entertaining release from this franchise.
I look forward to seeing if they made it a hat-trick with 'Alien³'.
Original series
Alien (1979) https://trakt.tv/movies/alien-1979
Aliens (1986) https://trakt.tv/movies/aliens-1986
Alien 3 (1992) https://trakt.tv/movies/alien-1992
Alien Resurrection (1997) https://trakt.tv/movies/alien-resurrection-1997
Prequel series
Prometheus (2012) https://trakt.tv/movies/prometheus-2012
Alien: Covenant (2017) https://trakt.tv/movies/alien-covenant-2017
Three major observations from someone who has re-watched both Alien and Aliens quite a few times (and has seen the sequels once each... let's not talk about those haha).
First: given these movies are 30-40 years old, it is insane how well they have held up, effects included. The practical effects work on both these movies is stunning.
Second: these two movies work so well together in tandem, and make perfect sense from a plot perspective with the 50 year gap since the Alien ship was first discovered in between. With Alien, Ridley Scott gave us a really tight, terrifying, what the fuck is going style sci-fi horror movie that still works a treat to this day. With Aliens, James Cameron expanded the narrative scope of the universe in a really interesting way, and made an action thriller that in many ways is just as tense and terrifying as the first movie - turns out that whether you're an unarmed crew or a squad of marines, the aliens are going to go through you like butter regardless.
Third: even when judged just by on its own, individual merits, Aliens is excellent. 30 years later, and it remains one of the most spectacular action movies ever made. I've re-watched it very recently, and still had an absolute blast with it. The characters are fun as well, watching Ripley's character growth vs the first movie feels really genuine, and the pacing of the movie overall is flawless.
There's a reason it's so highly regard by so many - it's as close as we've ever gotten to a perfect sci-fi action thriller.
This is one of the best sequels out there in film franchises. It is rare that you get a sequel to a film considered one of the best in their genre which is considered exactly on the same level. I mean, Godfather I & II seems like a similar situation. Somehow I'm at the same place with this one as I am with those though, I prefer the first just slightly more. Like .001 difference.
I think my favorite thing about this sequel is Bishop. They do such a good job using your experience from the first film to influence how you interact with the new robot character. Also, adding in a lot of action compared to last time is a great choice. Often times the plan is always to just replicate what worked well previously, but instead they know they can't slowly reveal what the alien looks like anymore. Instead just ramp it up a few more notches baby!
Not as claustrophobic as "Alien" and the rescue of "Newt" is especially unbelievable. But the first 2/3 of the film are great anyway!
Good movie.:blush:
I don´t really understand this comparison with Alien (1976) that i see in the comments. Maybe is trying to pull off something?
The films are completely different, made at different times with different directors. For better or for worse, the 1976 film Alien has become a symbol and icon of cinema and horror films and without it it would not exist. After all, it is a sequel.
That said, the film is very well made. The film's standard of excellence is visible and even controversial. Since, there are making offs reporting the director's perfectionism that saw fights during the studio. The decision to make the alien movie an action movie was very smart - I'm not questioning taste or opinion. My interest is in the director's perception of changing the film's script into something more. I believe this creative decision was very good as it does not compete with another film and moves to a safer space for the director (see for example Terminator).
In this sense, all the aesthetic decisions come to create a different type of tension, it's not the same suspense as the previous one, but it works. And the film has several examples, whether it's the supporting characters dying all the time or even the sound that contributes to everything.
Anyway, the film is an action lesson. Although it will never be the same as the first film, it is worth seeing and respecting.
I recommend everyone watch it.
Better and more enjoyable for me than the first one. Wasn’t expecting this at all, but this is an awesome action movie. Some great additions with Newt and Hudson. It just feels so different from the first one, that a big plus for me personally.
Aliens is a non-stop thrill ride. Its loaded with action, scares, sci-fi, and great effects. A sequel that surpasses the original is rare, but "Aliens" may just be superior to "Alien".
Sigourney Weaver (Ripley) and Michael Biehn (Hicks) are not your typical action movie heroes. Their characters manage to relay a depth seldom seen in action movies, even though they spend almost all of their time literally shooting their way out of the aliens' lair. The creatures themselves are fantastic creations, especially the "queen" alien.
Ripley's battle against the queen in this film's finale is as breathtaking as any in the history of cinema.
Story: 7...good concept to have an evil corporation knowingly send a terraform community to a deadly planet, but any story development was abandoned for guns and bombs. And Hicks just sleeps the final 30 minutes?
Script: 6...so many tropes from the timin'-of-rhymin' to typical military macho baloney
Performances: 6...cliche after cliche. Ridley is not at a the same. Bishop underused.
Misc. 7
Influence: 7..."game over man!" has lasted a good while
Overall: 7
I appreciate that James Cameron went for "Aliens" instead of "Alien 2" with the title, as aesthetically we are talking about a completely different kind of movie. The eerie darkness and subtle Lovecraftian horror of "Alien" get replaced by a way more bombastic and adrenaline-filled approach. The raw and gritty art direction is gone for pure sci-fi sleekness, with sparkling lights, bright blueish photography.
Ripley is back on LV-426 with a full team of space marines to shoot the shit out of an entire alien colony. Dozens of monsters, massive shootouts, explosions, comic relief, mandatory child mascot. We even have a badass "Mecha" Ripley fight a pissed off Queen Xenomorph and yell the infamous: "Get Away From Her, You Bitch!". The original "Alien" team would have never shot anything like this.
Still, it is pretty solid as a brainless action blockbuster, maybe a bit too long. James Cameron is known for investing zillions of dollars in new techniques and technologies for his films and definitely managed to make something that could impress his contemporaries. The digital effects didn't age well, but the Xenomorphs' looks and movement fluidity have been significantly improved. I am not a big fan of the Queen, though: the concept itself is great, but it just looked like a wooden puppet (by the way, the scene it uses the elevator to chase Ripley was hilarious).
Suspenseful and terrifying like the original, but in completely different ways. Where Ridley Scott's first film was loaded up with atmosphere, exploration and an overwhelming sense of terrified wonder at the habits of an unfamiliar life form, James Cameron's sequel is faced with the task of expanding upon a theme that's already been fairly thoroughly prodded. Dropping the intellectual angles and dramatic pauses in favor of unbridled, run-and-gun chaos, it still manages to feel akin to its predecessor via more than a monster suit and lead actress.
While Aliens doesn't take as much time to appreciate the sights, they're still around, and they remain excellent examples of on-screen world building. The power of the aliens themselves seems very diminished - they're little more than waves of cannon fodder by the second act - but Cameron compensates with a bold determination to examine them as a versatile breed of fauna.
Although its dalliances into action tripes can be distracting, and a few lines of dialog are eyeball-spinningly cheeseball, the film is still a success. How much of that is due to its young director's touch, rather than the power of the galaxy that had been established in the original, is open for debate.
“This time it’s war.” In this sequel to Alien, James Cameron delivers a thrilling and epic sci-fi adventure. When communication is lost with a new colony on LV-426 the military seeks the help of Ellen Ripley in combating a possible alien threat. The cast is fantastic, and includes Sigourney Weaver, Michael Biehn, Lance Henriksen, and Bill Paxton (“Game over man!”). Everything in this film is outstanding; the costumes, the special effects, the set designs, the score, the script...all working together in sync. Aliens is a brilliant, action-packed film that surpasses its predecessor.
watching aliens series for the first time in 2019. didn't liked the first part much, but this one was great.
'Maybe you haven't been keeping up on current events, but we just our asses kicked' - one of my fav lines.
Pretty crazy that Cameron managed to make two sequels that surpassed the first film. This one, and of course Terminator 2. Ripley is as bad ass as they come.
Gets better every time I see it.
A fun watch, but it really does not compare to the first film.
Game over man
RIP Bill Paxton
A decent watch? Its one of the best action movies in the last 25 years. Talk about an understatement!
I couldnt never expect i could say something like this.But here we are
This movie is even better from the first one absolutely fucking fantastic!
I went all in after the last 20 minutes.
I still remember the scene when Hicks checked the ceiling for movement; it creeped the hell out of me as a kid. Probably the definition of a perfect action movie.
I prefer Aliens rather than Alien. The Alien franchise don't scare me at all, so the 2nd movie at least has some good action. First one is slow as a turtle...like it too, but the second one is my favorite. The final fight between Riply and the Alien Mother Queen is one of my favs in movie history. Its a classic!
The character development, the world building, the action, the horror, the comedy, the visuals, the stunts, the acting, the script, the plot, the ideas, the parallels, the pace, the score, the sound design, the costume design, the practical effects, the casting, the absolute thrill and genius behind this masterpiece is mindblowing. I find it hard to compare to number one because this is totally different. The mystery remains and, by the end, only grows. Sigourney absolutely smashes it as Ripley. The trauma, motherhood, and protectorship went hard, and I loved it.
One of my fav movies of all time. Such a kick ass movie, wow. They mostly come at night. Mostly. Brilliant. Can watch this flick anytime.
Another classic. Great effects again and Bill Paxton has some awesome lines and delivery.
holy fuck will that kid ever stop screaming?
I'm going to be the odd one out here. I actually prefer Aliens over Alien. Where Alien is a scifi horror movie, a little slower paced, very focused on the eerie horrifying factor, Aliens is full on action-horror. Some think the action is over-the-top, and I'd say that's a fair assessment.
But I also really like that. I like seeing them fight back against the aliens. I'm a huge fan of action-horror and really enjoy how fast-paced this movie is. The plot of Alien is vastly superior, but there's something really satisfying about Aliens that makes it one of my favorites in the Alien franchise.
Seeing as I believe Alien is an overrated film I thought I'd like this one much more as that's a common theme but honestly it's about the same. I guess these films just aren't for me - they're both decent, I would even say good, but there's nothing special to them.
The final showdown in this is cool as fuck though.
The rare movie that can get away with taking a moody, atmospheric horror genre piece and graft it onto the action conventions of the time, because it does it so well. I will take Alien any day, without apology or hesitation, but so many sequels today chase this achievement of ‘take this cult/niche hit and make it into a crowd pleaser action film’ and fail that you have to give this props. Believe me I’ve seen enough Predator movies try and fail that I have to. And it’s influence and staying power is undeniable. Hudson’s lines referenced for eternity. Apone being cloned for Halo. The Alien Queen’s design. Weaver as the centerpiece of it all… It just works! And Vazquez… my love…
It’s not that something was lost from the original so much that it was just changed, and which one you prefer will depend on your taste. Even the shift aside, however, I gotta say- Newt is not that strong. Flat acting, changing accents… she’s a plot device and a tool to show off Ripley’s character more than a character in of herself. While that’s serviceable for an action movie, it won’t elevate it. I find myself more attached to Ripley and Hicks. All in all a good time, this is the reason why generic ‘crowdpleasing’ action films in franchises receive so much criticism these days, cause this shows how it’s done.
The evidence of a good movie is when you have already seen it 900 times, but on the 901st time, you feel just as excited and super-charged as you did every other time you've seen it.
I can watch Ripley run over that alien with the APC all day, every day.
An 80's action-fest with kick-ass weapons and a power loader battle is the only way to follow up Alien, and James Cameron was the best director to do it. The cast is like an orchestra that perfectly hits every note. The sound, music, costuming - everything was stellar, but the real heroes of this film are the effects team. The xenos look incredible.
Good movie, but cannot beat the original Alien.
So let me give my 2 cents on a movie franchise that is older than me.
After watching the 1st one I was hooked. But never imagined that it would start exactly how the 1st ended (well not exactly but you'll see) and it made me want to watch more.
The way they develop the story and the way we get to know more about this alien species is amazing.
Side note: Ripley is one of my favorite main characters ever
Petition for Ellen Ripley to adopt me (+1 signature).
The Five Faces of Aliens
:heart_eyes:
James Cameron once again proves he is a master of visual storytelling - everything from the cinematography to the production design and the visual effects still look so good, they could have appeared in a film made 15 years ago. The only thing giving away the fact Aliens is made in the 80s are the computer screens and the fashion sense.
The story fluently picks up from where the first movie left off and effectively pulls the viewer straight into a new adventure.
James Horner's music is used sparingly, in majestic spurs of tension, much like how the music was used in Alien.
It's once again Sigourney Weaver's show to steal and she still proves to be one to the greatest movie heroines ever created. She stands out as a character even better in this film, where she is surrounded by a bunch of less palpable characters.
Bishop is another memorable android in a string of great and creepy characters, and while he is perfectly realized by Lance Henriksen, he never reaches the same levels of intensity as Ian Holm in Alien before him and Michael Fassbender in the prequels after him.
Once the aliens finally appear, our long wait is awarded. Cameron grants us action scenes high on jump scares, chaos and adrenaline.
The script is simple and pulls in the viewer effectively, just like the first film. Cameron reuses most of the template molded by Ridley Scott for Alien, but makes it bigger and bolder. He doesn't try to develop or remodel established facts from Scott's film.
Cameron crafts some of the most impressive and intense action scenes in the franchise.
The acting is all around good, with Carrie Henn being surprisingly natural.
The final act is superbly crafted, with Cameron blending together every element he has used throughout the movie to present an intense and satisfying finale (think of it like the climax of Alien on steroids). It's not only the best finale of the franchise, it's also one of the best in any action film ever.
Aliens is a cleverly crafted, highly entertaining and impressively realized film expertly carried forward by Weaver in one of her best roles. It's one of the best sequels and action films ever created. It has withstood the test of time admirably.
:smiley:
The introduction expertly mimcs the atmosphere of the original movie.
This film takes a different approach, being a action-packed science fiction adventure, rather than an eerie space horror. Still, Cameron pays homage to Scott's original with lengthy sequences that slowly build up to explosive moments. This method has been commonly used in subsequent films in the franchise.
The supporting cast is greatly expanded and the script tries hard to let everyone stand out. Still, the only real standouts are Michael Biehn as Hicks, Bill Paxton as Hudson and William Hope as Gorman.
There isn't much of a story here, but at least Cameron leaves loads of room for dramatic tension rather than filling his two hours with mindless action.
:neutral_face:
Some of the editing in the action scenes is clumsy, which at times ruins the flow somewhat.
The subplot involving Newt doesn't really go anywhere and just adds one unnecessary layer to the story.
:frowning2:
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The Final Emoji: :heart_eyes:
The second installment in the Alien saga is quite different than the first outing as it moves away from the horror genre and feels more like an action/thriller movie. But nevertheless there are some frightening scenes and the mood is perfect for an Alien movie. Overall it's a spectacular film and it's as amazing as ever when watching it in 2019.
The best by far of the series, James Cameron switches genre, going from the body-horror/haunted house in space "Alien" to an action-packed monster movie with much more room for character development. Some of the effects have aged badly, but the film is packed with memorable performances most notably from Sigourney Weaver returning as Ripley.
Not so good as the first one, but still a great movie. I like Newt the most.
This is my favourite movie of all time. Pure perfection.
The action sequel.
Visually fantastic. The story is a fun ride ride filled with memorable scenes and quotable dialogue. The tense action and build up from the horror suspense is perfect blend. Some really cheesy but brilliant comic characters. It's two and a half hours but doesn't drag, which just shows it works. It gets more extreme as it goes along.
Grab a beer and enjoy the pefect half-brainer action movie.
Seeing figure of corporal Hicks who is doing friend I wanted to see it, the sound is not as good Paco cinema, the image is not as big as Paco cinema, but the film as a film so cool Paco cinema.
great sequel. start pretty slow, something good have to wait.
pretty darn good for a sequel
Not as good as the first, but entertaining.
JAMES CAMERON's ultimate take on the ALIEN trope, with textbook template SciFi action. Amazing in almost every respect.
Almost the same plot as the first movie, except they switched the psychological horror element of the main character for lots of action and explosions. An entertaining movie, but very predictable, not nearly as scary as the first one and not much character development. But it was what I expected from an action/horror movie. The only thing that really annoyed me however, was the fact that the Alien monster was supposed to be almost indestructible and in this movie they drop by the dozen. But if you can live with that and want to see a war movie in space, this is a decent watch.
Shout by theblackBlockedParent2013-04-24T01:39:44Z
My fav movie. "It's game over man, it's game over"